Should The Orioles Have Pursued A.J. Burnett?

Pittsburgh sends outfielder Exicardo Cayones and right handed pitcher Diego Moreno to the Yankees and take on $13 million of the remaining $33 million left on Burnett’s (horrible) contract. The Pirates will pay him $5 million this season and $8 million in 2013. Not too shabby.

Burnett will likely become the Pirates opening day starter and joins a pitching staff with former Oriole Erik Bedard, James McDonald, Jeff Karstens, Charlie Morton and Kevin Corriea.

After their finish last season, it’s hard to remember just how successful the Bucs were during the first half of 2011. The Pirates grabbed sole possession of first place in the NL Central on July 16 with a record of 48-43, but finished the year 72-90.
I think that adding Burnett will only improve on their success last season, but still don’t see them finishing ahead of the Cardinals, Reds or Brewers in that division this year.

With the Yankees eating so much of Burnett’s contract, I have to wonder how he would have fit in Baltimore. I watched him struggle for three seasons in the Bronx and was thankful that the Orioles didn’t overpay him in 2009, but at $5 million it could have been worth it given the current state of the Orioles rotation.

Zach Wilt is the Founding Editor of BaltimoreSportsReport.com and host of the BSR Podcast. He's a loyal Orioles, Ravens and Capitals fan who is obsessed with baseball, loves traveling, In-N-Out Burger and Walt Disney World.

Our mission is to provide the best local sports commentary in the Baltimore area. We love the Baltimore area and all its teams, but we like adding a fair counterweight to the dialogue just as much. In other words, we take jabs because we care.